Welcome to Trouble Free Pool

We would like to welcome you to TFP, the webs leading Pool related website. We invite you to please Register to create a new account. Doing this will give you full access to the forums, where you will be able to receive personalized advice concerning your pool. We hope to see you soon!

Re: In the process of a slam

I know you're in CA and a partial drain and refill is not the most socially favorable thing to do, so really all I can say about your CH and high CYA, is that it is what it is.

If you haven't done so, search the foum for threads on managing high CH. Once the SLAM is done, you will need to manage that as best you can.
The search box is top right of the page under the Pool School button.

Re: In the process of a slam

You lost more than 1ppm of FC overnight, so you didn't pass the SLAM. Yes, it would be best to add bleach one more day and maintain the FC at your SLAM level of "35" based on a CYA of 90. Assuming your are sure about that CYA of 90, then make sure your FC is at 35 tonight when you try the next OCLT. You might have better success holding that FC at 35 based on that CYA. Good luck!

Re: In the process of a slam

NOOOOO. CYA is conditioner/stabilizer. You already have too much in your pool at 90. If you have passed your SLAM (meaning your water is clear also, right?) you just stop adding any chlorine in any form and let the FC level drift down "naturally". Just test once a day until it is back in the target range for your CYA of 90. Then, the TFP method is to add liquid chlorine once a day to keep your FC in your target range. Using liquid chlorine will not raise that CYA level any more.

If you want to do a water exchange to get the CYA down, you can do that, but if your water is clear and the FC holding overnight, you don't really NEED to. The daily dose of chlorine needed each day is the same whether you're at 90 or 40, so it won't save you any money. Having a lower target FC level will save you on testing chemicals though, as even at the 10 mL test it takes a lot of drops to test your FC.

edit: 7 is the minimum FC for a CYA of 90. You should start the day at 10 so it has room to drop through the day. Then test at night and bring back up (using poolmath to calculate the dosage required). After a week or so you'll get an idea how much FC you lose each day. Maybe you only need to be at 9 to start the day in the winter, as the FC burns off much slower. You'll have to know your pool.

Re: In the process of a slam

First question: When testing the "Total Alkalinity". When you add the R7 and then R8 it turn green, then you add R9 until it turns red. Since I have a high chlorine level (31) it shifts to yellow. Do I continue to add R9 drops until I get red?

Second question: When testing "Calcium Hardness". You add the R10 then R11 and it turns red. Then you add R12 until it turns blue. Do you stop adding the R12 when it turn to violet or all the way to blue?